doom the ending,
ropes here the rings –
if ransom fail.
73
That gold give me
that is Gudrun’s right,
that Sigurd conquered,
the serpent’s treasure!’
Hogni laughed then,
on his hilts leaning;
Gunnar glowering
grimly answered.
74
‘No gold from Gunnar
shalt thou get for ever!
Life canst thou take
at latest end.
Dear wilt thou buy it
in dread barter
of lords and lieges,
lives uncounted!’
75
‘Fools the Niflungs,
feud-forgetful;
foul-stained their hands
with friend-murder.
Gudrun’s husband
for Gudrun’s wrong
a grim vengeance
will gladly wreak.’
76
‘Here Gudrun spake not!
Golden weregild
she looks nor longs for –
the lust is thine!’
‘For atonement now
time is over!
Words we need not,
war hath entered!’
77
Horns they sounded –
hall-walls echoed –
strode the stairway;
stern their onslaught.
The stones they stained
with streaming blood;
snaketongued arrows
sang about them.
78
Doors clanged backward,
din resounded:
Hunland’s champions
hurled upon them.
Hard were handstrokes,
hewn were corslets,
as on hundred anvils
were hammers ringing.
*
79
In hall sat Gudrun
at heart weary,
from mood to mood
her mind wavered.
The din she hearkened,
deadly crying,
as back were beaten
the Borgund-lords.
80
‘Little I love them,
long I hated!
A wolf they gave me
for woe’s comfort.
Yet the wolf rends them,
and woe is me!
Woe worth the hour
that of womb I came!’
81
Her hands she wrung
on high standing,
loud called she clear
to lieges there:
